Yard hydrants are used in many environments to provide an outdoor water source, especially in farm or other rural locations, gardens, and the like. Yard hydrants are typically supplied with water from a water line buried below the front line, and have a long standpipe that is connected to the water line. When a hydrant is attached to a buried water line, which may be as deep as four feet or more in very cold areas, replacement of a hydrant that breaks or otherwise becomes unusable is a difficult and expensive process, requiring an excavation of the area around the hydrant.
One proposed solution to at least some of the problems facing replacement of broken water hydrants involves the use of an adapter that removably couples the hydrant to a buried water line. Such an adapter is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,900. However, the adapter of that design has a number of problems. First, it uses a multiple piece construction, with a nipple outlet screwed into the adapter, for connection to a water hydrant pipe. This two piece construction weakens the overall adapter, which can be subjected to large amounts of force on attempted removal of the hydrant later. Further, the adapter of the '900 patent has a small drain hole for drainage of excess water from the adapter. This drain hole is situated above the bottom of the adapter, so standing water can accumulate in the adapter. Still further, the adapter inlet pipe is askew from the drain. This configuration is easily plugged by debris, creating a situation where the adapter cannot be drained.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an improved process for connecting and replacing hydrants.